Chime-clock.



T. W. SHEPHERD.

CHIME CLOCK. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 10, 1913. 1 27,555, Patented May 22, 1917.

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THOMAS W. SHEPHERD, OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

CHIME-CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Application filed December 10, 1913. Serial No. 805,842.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAs W. Srinr- HERD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waltham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Chime-Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to chime-clocks.

One object of the invention is the provision of improved means for striking two different chimes'upon a single set of tubes having manual means for setting the actuating-means to strike either of the chimes at will.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved means for striking the hour or other period of time, on two or more of the tubes, and on a single tube, and manual means for setting the actuatingmeans of said striking-mechanism to strike upon two or more of the tubes or upon a single tube at will.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a clock embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the actuating-mechanism for hammers.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the actuatingmechanism for the hammers.

F ig. 4 is a detail to be referred to.-

10 represents the clock-face, 12 the hands, 15 the tubes which are suspended by suitable means, and 20 the hammers which are arranged to strike the tubes, the arms of said hammers being resilient and attached at their lower ends to fixed supports. The chime actuating-means consists of a cylinder 30 having thereon radially extended pins 31, arranged circumferentially about the cylinder and a plurality of levers 32 pivoted at 33, the lower ends of which below their pivots, are arranged to be engaged by the pins 31 during rotary motion of the cylinder, and the upper ends of which are connected by links 34 with the hammers. The links are here shown as detachably connected with the actuating-levers and the hammers, they being connected with the hammers by clips 35 embracing them and the hammers, and being connected with the levers by loop-like portions 36 at their ends engaging bifurcated end-portions 37 of the levers. Six tubes are here shown, in Fig. 1, and hence there are a corresponding number of actuating levers and a corresponding number of sets of pins arranged about the cylinder 30 for engagement with said actuating-levcrs to move them to in turn move the hammers to strike the tubes. In providing for two different chimes the cylinder 30 has two sets of pins for engagement with each actuating-lever, which sets are arranged side by side, and the cylinder is movable axially in its bearings to bring the pins of either set into position for engagement with the actuating-levers. As a means to move the cylinder axially for the accomplishment of this result a short arm 40 is arranged to gear upon one of the journals of the cylinder, and said arm is secured to a shaft 41, to which an arm 42 is secured having a laterally extended projection 43, which is engaged by an eccentric 44, pivoted at 45 and bearing ahnger 46 for turning it. The free end of a flat spring 48 attached to the frame bears upon the end of the other journal of the cylinder which acts to exert'a force thereon to thrust the cylinder axially against the arm 40 and hold it in firm engagement therewith and consequently to thrust the arm 42 into firm engagement with the eccentric. By turning the eccentric in one direction the cylinder is moved axially against the pressure of said spring to bring one of the sets of pins in position for en gagemen't with the actuating-levers and by turning the eccentric in the other direction the cylinder is moved in the opposite direction by the force of the spring, thereby to bring the other set of pins in position for engagement with the actuating-levers. The finger 46 is easily accessible, so that it may be engaged and moved thereby to change the striking of the chimes.

The cylinder bearing the pins is arranged to be rotated by the train, and, as here shown, has a gear 50 which engages a crowngear 51 on one of the gear-shafts of the train, and said gear 50, slidably engages the teeth of the crown-gear, thus to admit of axial movement of the cylinder.

The same tubes are herein employed for striking the hour or other period of time, and for the accomplishment of this result the same hammers 20 and actuating levers 32 are employed, and back of said actuatinglevers and above the pivot thereof, a horizontal rock-shaft is arranged, having radially extended projections 61 thereon, correspondingin number with the number of the actuating-levers and arranged respectively to engage said levers, and said rockshaft has an arm 62 extended radially from it to which the upper end of a link 63 is loosely connected, which link extends downward and is pivotally connected to the extremity of an arm (l-l, secured to a pivotshaft 65, and a short arm 7 is secured to said pivot-shaft which is arranged for repeated engagement by pins (38 extended laterally from one side of a gear-wheel 69, which is driven by the train. The extremity of the arm 67 is arranged about midway between the pins of the gear-wheel, being so held by a pin 66, on the pivot-shaft engaging a stop, so that the gear-wheel when started will acquire some momentum before engaging the arm, and then will move the arm quickly and disengage it after a very short period of time, permitting said arm to immediately resume its normal position, and such movement of the arm, which is first upward and then downward, acts to rock the shaft to cause the projection thereon to move the actuating-levers on their pivots, and operate the hammers.

As a loose connection for the upper end of the link 63, with the arm 62 on the rockshaft a headed-stud is here shown as passing transversely through a hole in the arm, being freely rotatable thereon, and said stud has a transverse hole through it for the arm 62, and is held rigidly connected with the arm by nuts arranged on the arm and engaging the stud.

So far described, all those tubes will be struck by the hammers whose actuating-lo vers are moved by the projections 61 on the rock-shaft, but provision is here made for also striking a single tube, and for the ac complishment of this result the rock-shaft 60, has arranged upon it one additional projection 7 O, opposite one of the actuating-levers, for the single tube which is selected to be struck, and the rockshaft is arranged for axial movement whereby said single projection will be brought into position for engagement with the actuating-lever, and at the same time all of the other projections will be removed from engagement with their actuating levers. The rock-shaft is slidably supported in its bearings permitting axial movement thereof, and an arm bears against one end of the rockshaft, which is pivoted at 76, and to the pivot-shaft another arm 77 is secured, having a slotted end-portion, the slot of which receives a pin 78 on an eccentric 79, hearing a finger 80 by which it may be turned. The free end of a flat spring bears against the other end of the rock-shaft, which exerts its force thereupon to hold the arm 77 in engagement with the pin on the eccentric. As the eccentric is turned the rock-shaft is moved axially against the force of the spring and will remain in the position it is so moved by means of the eccentric.

From the above description it will be understood that in the rotation of the drum 39 ,under the clock mechanism, the projections from said drum will operate the levers with the effect to sound the chimes or notes of the respective tubes in accordance vith the setting of the pins. Furthermore, it will be apparent that by the construction described, a variation in such sounding may be obtained by shifting the drum axially as described. The particular hours or other desired period of time may be struck independently of the drum through the operating projections 61, which as before described, are actuated from the pins 68 on the gear wheel 69, these projections operating the levers to move the hammers from the tubes for a sounding of the tube notes upon the return of the hammers. In the event it is desired to strike a single tube, the shaft 60 is shifted axially, in the manner above described, so that the projections 61 are arranged beyond the plane of the levers 32 while a particular pin as 70 is directly in line with one of the levers. In the further operation of this detail, the particular levers so engaged by the pin 70 will be the only one sounded.

I claim 1. In a chime clock, a plurality of tubes, hammers therefor, actuating levers for the hammers, an adjustable means providing in each adjusted position independent lever engaging elements, independent means for actuating the levers, said independent means being adjustable to vary its effect upon the levers.

2. In a chime-clock, the combination with a plurality of tubes and hammers therefor, and pivoted actuating-levers connected with said hammers, of a rock-shaft bearing projections for engaging said actuating-levers, a link loosely connected with said rock-shaft, a pivoted arm to which said link is pivotally connected, a tappet-arm connected with said arm and a gear-wheel having pins for engaging said tappet-arm, substantially as described.

3. In a chime-clock, the combination of a plurality of tubes and hammers therefor, pivoted actuating-levers connected with said hammers, a rotatable cylinder having projections for engaging said actuating-levers below their pivots and a rock-shaft bearing projections arranged to engage said actuating-levers above their pivots, and means to rock'said shaft, substantially as described.

4. In a chime clock, a plurality of tubes, hammers therefor, actuating levers for the hammers, means operated by the clock gears for actuating the levers, and independent means actuated by the clock gear for also actuating the levers.

5. In a chime clock, a plurality of tubes,

hammers therefor, actuating levers for the hammers, means operated by the clock gears for actuating the levers, and independent means actuated by the clock gear for also In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS W. SHEPHERD.

actuating the levers, each of said means be- Witnesses: ing manually adjustable to vary the effect of B. J. Noms, the lever actuation. H. B. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

